GK & Current Affairs: October 2, 2015

1. Who was conferred with the Merlin Award by International Magicians Associations?
[A]O P Sharma
[B]Zenia Bhumgara
[C]Kuda Bux
[D]Maneka Sorcar
Answer: Zenia Bhumgara
Famous magician Zenia Bhumgara was conferred with the Merlin Award by International Magicians Associations. The Merlin is to magicians what the Oscar is to films. The association selects a handful of people worldwide each year to bestow this honour.
2. The Sircilla and Siddipet constituencies which have become first 100 per cent open defecation free constituencies in the country are in which state?
[A]Telangana
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]West Bengal
[D]Odisha
Answer: Telangana
Sircilla and Siddipet constituencies are in Telangana state. These two constituencies are all set to achieve a rare honor of being the first in the country to become 100 percent open defecation-free constituencies. About 20 thousand personal toilets have been constructed on war footing in these constituencies to achieve cent per cent by Gandhi Jayanti, the annual day of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on 2 October.
3. Which of the following states has decided to impose drought tax, recently?
[A]Karnataka
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Maharashtra
[D]Tamil Nadu
Answer: Maharashtra
Maharashtra government has decided to levy a surcharge of Rs 2 on petrol and diesel while VAT on liquor, cigarettes and beverages have also been raised by 5 per cent. The decision aims to raise more funds for tackling drought in the state. The measures will be in force for five months.
4. Who has been awarded the senior citizen award for iconic mother for the year 2015?
[A]Leelaben Chhabildas Gurjar
[B]Sunabeda Singh
[C]Jayadevi Thayi
[D]Yashodara Malpade
Answer: Leelaben Chhabildas Gurjar
Leelaben Chhabildas Gurjar from Gujarat has been awarded the iconic mother award from President Pranab Mukherjee. Leelaben was chosen for the award for successfully bringing-up her children despite great odds. Leelaben had to face great odds to educate her six children, including two daughters. She worked as ‘safai karamchari’ and in order to supplement the meagre salary from the job she used to work as a manual scavenger. She became mother at the age of 14. Later, five more children were born to her. In spite of adversity, she sent all her children to school and encouraged them to get education. Because of the prevailing practise of untouchability, her children were not allowed to sit along with others or to share the common facility of drinking water. Undeterred by such discrimination, Leelaben continued to give her unstinting support to her children and eventually succeeded in securing higher education for all of them and they achieved respectable positions in their careers and in society.
5. In October 2015, which country / territory flag was raised at United Nations for the first time?
[A]Timor
[B]Palestine
[C]Syria
[D]Jordan
Answer: Palestine
Palestine president Mahmoud Abbas raised the flag of the state of Palestine at United Nations for the first time. The Palestinians campaigned for a General Assembly resolution that was overwhelmingly approved on September 10 allowing the UN observer states to fly their flag alongside those of the 193 UN member states.
6. Brian Friel, who died recently, was a greatest playwright belongs to which country?
[A]USA
[B]Ireland
[C]England
[D]South Africa
Answer: Ireland
Brian Friel was an Irish dramatist, author and director of the Field Day Theatre Company. He was considered to be one of the greatest living English-language dramatists, hailed by the English-speaking world as an “Irish Chekhov” and “the universally accented voice of Ireland”.Friel was best known for plays such as Philadelphia, Here I Come! And Dancing at Lughnasa but wrote more than thirty plays in a six-decade spanning career that saw him elected Saoi of Aosdána. His plays were a regular feature on Broadway throughout this time.
7. Who became the first Indian to receive the Magnolia Gold, Shanghai’s top award?
[A]Rangarajan Vellamorer
[B]Maxwell Paranagama
[C]Kumar Bhattacharya
[D]Hemachandra Nayak
Answer: Rangarajan Vellamorer
Rangarajan Vellamorer, CEO of Infosys China, has become the first Indian to get the Magnolia Gold award in recognition of his contributions to the development of IT industry in Shanghai. He was earlier awarded Magnolia Silver award in 2011.
8. In which city Michael Phelps swim clinic was launched recently?
[A]New Delhi
[B]Bengaluru
[C]Hyderabad
[D]Chennai
Answer: Bengaluru
Michael Phelps swim clinic was launched in Bengaluru. It was launched in association with Gameday Arts as India became the first international venture for the programme.
9. Who among the following has been facilitated by UK city of coventry?
[A]Narayana Murthy
[B]Azim Premji
[C]Ratan Tata
[D]Nandan Nilkeni
Answer: Ratan Tata
Leading Indian industrialist Ratan Tata has been felicitated by the city of Coventry with its highest award in recognition of his contributions to the West Midlands region of central England. The Tata Group Chairman Emeritus took oath as an Honorary Freeman of the City of Coventry, an award only 13 people have been conferred with since 1914. Tata, was honoured alongside Indian-origin professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), at the University of Warwick in Coventry.
10. Recently, which state has started scheme for adoption of wild animals in zoos and deer parks?
[A]Jharkhand
[B]Haryana
[C]Kerala
[D]Goa
Answer: Haryana
Haryana government has started a scheme for adoption of wild animals in zoos and deer parks for their conservation and protection. The scheme was launched on the occasion of Wildlife Safety Week, which is being observed from October 1 to 7. Under the scheme awareness would be created among people for adoption of wild animals in zoos and deer parks. Self Help Groups would be constituted for participation of women in wildlife conservation.